In Reston, Fairfax County owns the public sewer mains and each homeowner owns the private lateral between the house and the main. Roots, sags and cracked joints in that private line are plumbing repairs. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Reston.
Reston and its sewer lines
Reston was planned from 1964 around village centers such as Lake Anne, Hunters Woods and South Lakes, with four man-made lakes and a heavy tree canopy. The median home was built in 1983, and many neighborhoods are clusters of townhouses and single-family homes set among mature trees. That canopy is part of Reston's appeal, but roots chase moisture, and any slightly open joint in a lateral is an invitation. Lines laid in the 1970s and 1980s can also have settled over the years.
What to do right now
- Stop running water. Hold off on laundry, dishes and showers until the line is open.
- Ask neighbors whether they're having the same problem. If the trouble could be in the public main, call Fairfax County's 24-hour sewer line at 703-323-1211.
- Find your cleanout, often a capped pipe outside near the foundation or in a basement or utility room, and clear a path to it.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage, and skip chemical drain openers on a main line backup.
- In a cluster or townhouse community, check whether your association handles shared lines.
- Call a plumber to clear the blockage and inspect the line with a camera.
Symptoms and their usual causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Clogs that return every few months | Roots growing back through a joint |
| Slow drains throughout the house | Partial blockage or a belly in the lateral |
| Water in the basement floor drain after laundry | Restriction downstream of the floor drain |
| Sewage smell near the foundation outside | A cracked pipe or a loose cleanout cap |
| Wet ground over the line in dry weather | A broken pipe leaking into the soil |
What affects the price
- Depth of the line and distance from the house to the problem
- Tree roots near the line and whether the tree is staying
- Paths, retaining walls and decks that sit over the pipe
- Lining versus excavation and replacement
- A plumbing permit from Fairfax County Land Development Services when pipe is repaired or replaced
Since the County doesn't locate private laterals, the camera and a pipe locator are usually how the plumber traces the exact route before anyone digs.
Sewer Line Repair questions in Reston
Why do tree roots keep getting into my sewer line?
Who is responsible for the sewer pipe between my house and the public main?
Why does the plumber want to run a camera before quoting a repair?
Do I need a permit to repair a sewer line here?
More plumbing services in Reston
Sewer Line Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: